Entitled
“Black Magic Brew”, with pleasure I’d like to present the new Sanktuary
– a yound aged quartet from Canada. Metal from this part of the world, always
good to give it a shot! I don’t know for sure if this effort is Sanktuary’s
first work but the main point is that the four songs on it are really good to
me!

I’ve heard the band via myspace a while ago and it
felt good – I was hooked on the band’s sound and sent them a request to
review their new output “Black Magic Brew”. Meanwhile, the package has been
delivered and as expected – Sanktuary is a real good formation. They keep
swaying the flag of Classic Metal in pride and glory!

Frontman / guitarist Alan Bringer has a quite unique
voice – powerful with partial moments of aggression… using a more cleaner
throat, well that results in a less impressive way to me. This guy’s very
strong point is the mixture of his power and aggressive driven style of singing
and my personal recommendation to Alan is to keep it that way because it works out real good! The
way he handles his six string electric machine gun is in perfect balance with
the movements with his fellow guitar player Glen Emond. For sure, both guys have
some good power / thrashing riffings in their fingertips. According to myself,
they have to practise on the solo works but actually I don’t think they lie
awake at night about that. Allows me to say that the guitar solo tactics are
quite good so…

Dirty bass lines by Cole Hume and Anders
Grasholm’s thundering drums to keep your attention optimal – about the song
structures I absolutely have no reason to complain. Sanktuary don’t care about
the nowadays Metal scene – that’s for sure and feels to me. Their style of
Metal takes me back in time to a period where Underground Metal rules with an
iron fist. Defenders of early the eighties scene know for sure what I mean!

Final conclusion: “Black Magic Brew” brings on Classic Metal in
general alternated with a blend of Power / Thrash and even NWOBHM vibes. Please
do not forget they also have a real good / unique vocalist in their ranks. If he
can dig my recommendation to work a bit on the higher vocal notes in the future,
I would be total satisfied. As for now, I can shut down this review with a real
good feel on Classic Metal music! More info at: www.myspace.com/sanktuaryslays